Earthquake and tsunami in Japan

On March 11,2011, at 2:26 p.m, an enormous earthquake hit the Sanriku Coast affecting the Tohoku Region and areas of Eastern Japan. The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.0, the biggest in Japan’s recorded history. The massive tsunami caused by this quake destroyed towns along an approximately 500 km stretch of coastline from Chiba to Iwate. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was also affected by the earthquake and many towns around the power plant have been evacuated.
Strong waves hit Japan’s Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, damaging dozens of coastal communities. A 10m wave struck Sendai, deluging farmland and sweeping cars across the airport’s runway. Fires broke out in the centre of the city.